Last Night On Earth
by Salix15
Summary: 4th in my Faberry series.  Things between Rachel and Quinn are starting to get back to normal, but will Quinn's mom be able to accept their relationship?
1. Chapter 1

Rachel Berry gave herself another once over in the mirror, trying to decide whether or not she should change her outfit again or if this blouse went well with the skirt she was currently wearing. She wanted to look perfect, and she felt nervous about it. Today was a big day for the little diva. Today she was going to ask Quinn out on their first official date as a couple.

She felt nervous mostly because she wasn't sure how the blonde was going to react to the proposal. Ever since her mother rejected her, the former cheerleader had become a little distant, and the mood swings had reminded everyone of the pregnancy days. But her attitude seemed to mellow out whenever Rachel was around. So the future Broadway star was hopeful the answer she was going to receive would be yes.

Quinn wasn't the only person she needed a yes from, however. Her dad wasn't too impressed with the blonde at the moment. First he walked in on them well into second base territory, and then the blonde canceled their dinner plans after promising to officially introduce herself as Rachel's girlfriend. The little diva explained the situation, and her daddy, Leroy, completely understood, but her dad was always more protective. If she was going to take Quinn on a date then she wanted to do it right, and that involved getting her dad's permission to borrow the car.

"Rachel, sweetie!" she heard her daddy yell from downstairs, bringing her back to reality and out of the Quinn-dreaming she had been blissfully lost in. "You're already perfect. Stop worrying and get down here before you're late!" She rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair one last time before grabbing her backpack off the floor and walking towards the stairs. It was their morning ritual to stop for a cup of coffee before her daddy dropped her off at school, and she was afraid of how he would react to what she was about to tell him.

"You don't need to give me a ride today, Daddy," she said as she descended the stairs. Even though she was worried about his reaction, she couldn't help but feel giddy. Today something was going to happen that she had been fantasizing about since a child. Sure, in her fantasies it was a boy and not a girl, but she wasn't going to be picky about that now. Not when said girl was so much more amazing than any fantasy Romeo she could think of. "Quinn's picking me up today. She's going to drive me to school."

"Oh really?" Leroy asked, as she rounded the corner and set her backpack down next to the couch. She nodded her head with a huge smile on her face, but she still felt a little nervous. And her daddy's smirk at her announcement made her even more nervous. "So I'm finally going to meet this mysterious girl who swept my daughter off her feet? How exciting. I'll get the camera." She began to panic when he walked out of the room. One of her fathers' favorite hobbies was documenting every moment of her life. And it wasn't something she ever felt embarrassed about until right then.

"Daddy, you don't need to do that," she said, and she tried to sound calm, but she was failing miserably. She could actually feel her throat tighten, and her voice changed in pitch the more she began to freak out. She followed, hot on his heels, as he walked into the kitchen and began looking through the 'miscellaneous drawer.' "She's just picking me up for school. It's not like she's taking me to prom. Please don't do this."

He smiled and shook his head as he continued to look for the camera. "Relax, Rachel, before you have a panic attack," he said, sounding almost dismissive of her freak out. Living with her for sixteen years had given him a certain tolerance to her big personality. When he finally found the camera, he shut the drawer and took the lens cap off. The smile on his face got bigger as he thought of all the different photographs he could possibly take before they had to leave. "I just want one picture, is that too much to ask?"

"Yes, considering she hasn't even met you yet," she practically yelled, and clenched her fists. How could he be so unreasonable? She wasn't used to this at all. She normally always got her way, especially with her Daddy, and now he was insisting on something she was clearly uncomfortable with. She turned to her other father who was silently eating his breakfast on the center island, and reading the newspaper. "Dad, please, will you control your husband?"

Hiram didn't even look up from the paper as he responded. "Rae, if I could do that, we'd be living it up in Miami, and we'd have a dog," he said, and took another bite of his Frosted Flakes. Rachel let out a little huff, and crossed her arms over her chest. This morning started out so good, how did it get so screwed up?

"Please, you'd be nothing but miserable from the constant sunburn, and you're allergic to dogs," Leroy responded, and quickly scrolled through some of the photos that were saved on the memory card. He had completely forgotten about these, and made a mental note to transfer them to the computer when he returned home from work.

"I could take Claritin every day. It's possible the commercials are telling the truth," Hiram said, and put the paper down to look at his husband. This was something they often fought about, and he always became upset very quickly. Mostly because of the attitude his husband had about the subject. He just didn't seem to care, and it bothered Hiram to no end. His whole life he grew up dreaming of the day he'd finally get to own a dog and allergies took that away when they first got together. Leroy had bought him a Cocker Spaniel, complete with the hat box and red bow just like the movie.

"Maybe in an alternate dimension," Leroy said, and Hiram rolled his eyes and went back to his paper.

When the doorbell rang, Rachel became very tense. Why was Quinn coming to the door? When she was dating Finn, the very few times he picked her up for school, he simply stayed in his truck and honked the horn to let the diva know he had arrived and was waiting. Her dads didn't like that at all, but right now she wished Quinn had done that instead. "Oh Rachel, that must be your lady. Come on, one picture then you can leave." She gave a little huff and followed him as he walked back into the living room.

"Fine, one picture," she said as she struggled to keep up. Her short legs often had a hard time keeping up with his long ones. "And then you have to apologize for putting her through this." He stopped and turned around, and gave her an eye roll. Sometimes they were so much alike it was almost scary, but he would never admit that to her out loud.

"If she's as gorgeous as you said she is then she's probably used to stuff like this. There's no way the reincarnation of Grace Kelly has been able to go this long without having people fawn over her and want a picture," he said, and she couldn't help but blush. When she had told her father about her relationship with Quinn, just like she had promised after being caught with her shirt off, she may have over indulged on some of Quinn's attributes. Maybe she needed to work on being a little less dramatic sometimes.

"Daddy, please, you're going to embarrass me," she said, and tried to make her eyes well up with tears. Maybe if she laid it on thick he would finally give in. This whole not getting her way with him thing was really throwing her for a loop. "Can't this wait until after you get to know her so she won't think you're crazy? If she tells anyone that a man she doesn't know tried to take her picture on the first introduction that could be misinterpreted and send the wrong message. You don't want to get into trouble for this."

He rolled his eyes again, and adjusted some of the settings on the camera. "And if I wanted to take a picture of a sixteen year old girl I don't know that would be creepy and gross. Luckily, that's not my intent at all. She's my daughter's first girlfriend, and I want a picture of this moment. Trust me, Pumpkin, you're going to thank me for this one day." The doorbell rang again, and she let out a little sigh. It looked like she wouldn't be getting her way and that was not sitting well with her. "Now, grab your bag and I'll get the door."

She rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm, and picked her backpack up off the floor and slung one strap over her shoulder. "You also told me I would thank you for insisting I get my wisdom teeth taken out before they started to grow in," she said and stomped off towards the foyer. "That oral surgeon smelled like ham and the horrible nightmare I had while under the anesthesia about the poor pig that was slaughtered to make his lunch was so traumatic I cannot watch _Charlotte's Web_ without crying!" As soon as she reached the end of her outburst, her father opened the door. The very confused expression on Quinn's face made her feel embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" Quinn asked, and tried to look into the diva's eyes, but Rachel was too busy looking down at her shoes. She couldn't believe she had lost her temper like that, and in front of Quinn no less. Their door wasn't soundproof so chances are she heard the whole thing. "Should I wait and pick you up tomorrow morning instead?"

Before Rachel could say anything, Leroy stepped into the doorway, blocking Quinn's view of the other girl. "If you wait for a morning when she doesn't throw a temper tantrum you'll never pick her up," Leroy said, and Quinn couldn't help but smile. She made it go away the second he stepped off to the side a little so Rachel could be included in the conversation. She was a little nervous meeting the other Mr. Berry, but she hoped she didn't show it. She wasn't sure if Hiram was serious about keeping the incident in the bedroom to himself or how this Mr. Berry would treat her if he knew.

"I resent that," Rachel said, her tone full of agitation. Quinn had to bite the insides of her cheeks to stop herself from smiling again. She knew she should be calm and shouldn't be acting this way when first meeting her girlfriend's other father, but she couldn't help that Rachel was adorable when she was acting like a spoiled child. According to Santana, thinking Rachel was cute this way was one of the things keeping them from killing each other.

"Resent it all you want, Rae, but that doesn't make it any less true," he said with a big smile on his face and he gave her a little wink. Then he turned his attention back to Quinn, and she felt really nervous under his gaze. Was he going to test her? Maybe fish for information? She had never been on this side of the relationship before, and she really needed to talk to some of the Glee guys for some advice. "And you must be Quinn. Rachel was right. You are practically the reincarnation of Grace Kelly." The blonde couldn't help but blush, and Leroy found it endearing.

"Thank you, Mr. Berry," she said, and she sounded just as embarrassed and flattered as she felt. Rachel couldn't help but smile. Quinn wasn't normally the type to blush, especially at a compliment and she knew the behavior was going to put her in her daddy's good graces. Then the blonde beauty quickly made eye contact with Rachel before looking at the man still standing in the doorway. She looked a little concern now, and the sudden change in mood caused Rachel's eyebrows to furrow in confusion. "I hate to be rude, sir, but there was an accident on the main road, and if we don't leave right now we're going to be late for class."

"Of course, dear, of course," he said, and Rachel let out a little sigh of relief. Maybe if they needed the extra time to get to school he wouldn't bring up taking a picture of the two of them. She held her breath and took a step towards the door. "But first before you go, would you mind posing for a picture with Rachel? You're her first girlfriend and it would be such a shame not to have a picture of the two of you." Quinn could not help the smile that broke out on her face at the request, and she just hoped her hair looked ok considering how little effort she put into it this morning.

"You don't have to say yes, Quinn," Rachel said, and looked up at her daddy for just a moment, before making eye contact with her favorite pair of eyes on the planet. "Flattering someone and then asking them for a favor is one of Daddy's specialties. I'd also like to point out that it's also a manipulation tactic that is most commonly used by sociopaths." Quinn and Leroy both rolled their eyes, and Rachel let out a little huff at the sight of it. She couldn't believe this. First she didn't get her way, and now her girlfriend was on her daddy's side. Could this morning be any worse?

"Rach, it's just a picture. We could already have had it done and over with if you had skipped that little rant," Quinn said, with a sweet smile on her face, and a smarmy look in her eyes. Rachel couldn't help but glare, but her dad laughed. She let out another little huff and crossed her arms over her chest. Apparently she was wrong, this morning could get worse.

"I like her, Rae, she's spunky," he said, and Rachel's pout grew a little bigger. Quinn really wanted to walk over there and wrap her arms around the shorter girl and nip that bottom lip between her teeth, but she wasn't sure how Rachel's dad would react to that. He seemed to be a little more open to their relationship than Hiram, but she didn't want to push her luck. "You'll have to come over for dinner sometime, Quinn. I know you had to cancel last time, but it's an open invitation. Feel free to drop by anytime."

"Thank you Mr. Berry," she said with a big smile on her face. She looked over at Rachel, and gave the still pouting diva a little wink. "I look forward to it." Rachel rolled her eyes again, and shook her head a little. She didn't want to act like a spoiled child, but she couldn't help it. She wasn't getting her way, and she wasn't used to not getting her way with her daddy. This was _her_ daddy, why was Quinn suddenly getting all of his affections?

"I don't think I feel comfortable with my daddy and my girlfriend being in cahoots," she said and looked over at Quinn. She knew she was being juvenile. She had no reason to be jealous of her girlfriend. She should be happy that they were getting along so well since they just met. She wanted Quinn to be comfortable around her parents, but this was like rubbing salt into an already infected wound. "This could create some very awkward situations for me." Leroy shook his head a little, and lifted the camera up. They needed to do this or all of them were going to be late. "Rachel, will you please just stand with your girlfriend so I can get a picture?" he asked, starting to sound a little impatient, and Quinn was amazed by this whole conversation. It was kind of amazing how much Rachel took after this man. Everything from the big personality, to the eye roll, even the tone of voice when they became impatient was the same, and even though it was really cool, it was also kind of freaky.

"Fine, but when my English teacher asks why I was late for class I'm going to blame it on your need to document every moment of my life," she said, and walked out onto the porch and stood next to her girlfriend. She wanted to lean over and give the taller blonde a little kiss on the cheek, but she wasn't sure how her daddy would respond to that. Every time Finn had come over and she showed any affection towards him both of her dads became very uncomfortable.

"Don't act like this is anything new, Pumpkin," he said, and Quinn looked over at her with a little smirk on her face. As soon as she mouthed the word pumpkin Rachel blushed so hard her ears felt like they were going to burst. "I've been like this since you were still in utero." Quinn chuckled a little bit at that, and gave her blushing girlfriend a little kiss on the cheek. Unbeknown to them, that's when her dad took the picture.

"Daddy, please don't call me Pumpkin in front of people," Rachel said, and those words sounded like they hurt coming out. Quinn bit the insides of her cheeks to stop herself from smiling. She knew Rachel was close to a meltdown, and she didn't want to be the reason she fell over the edge. "It's embarrassing." The blonde wrapped an arm around Rachel and gently rubbed her back. The two locked eyes, and shared a small smile, and Leroy took another picture.

"Rachel, there's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said, and it snapped them back to reality and out of their own little world. Oh, they had it bad, that much he knew for certain. "Every parent has a nickname for their child." He held the camera up again, and had a big cheeky grin on his face. "Ok, Pumpkin, smile pretty." Rachel let out another huff, and straightened her shoulders, and puffed out her chest. Quinn knew what was next: an infamous Rachel Berry storm off.

"That's it, I'm done," she said, and turned on heel and walked down the steps of the porch. Leroy shook his head a little, and started going through the couple of photos he was able to take without the girls knowing. The silent feature on the camera was definitely his favorite. "Take your picture by yourself, I'm going to school." Quinn gave him a small smile, and a polite nod before she turned and chased after the annoyed girl.

"Wait, Pumpkin, I'll carry your backpack for you!" she called out as she ran after the girl who was already halfway to the car. Rachel stopped for a moment, shocked that those words had come out of Quinn's mouth, but before the other girl could catch up to her she kept walking. "It looks really heavy." Rachel shook her head and let out an agitated sigh.

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying my own backpack, Quinn," she said without turning around. "Just because I'm shorter than you doesn't mean I'm incompetent."

The blonde knew she had over stepped a line. She had been trying so hard to stay engaged, and not crawl inside her shell, but everything with her mom was throwing her for a major loop and her natural instinct was to hide. She didn't want to hide from Rachel, but overcompensating for the way she'd been acting didn't seem to be working either.

"That's not what I meant, sweetheart," Quinn said, and she gently grabbed onto Rachel's arm when she finally caught up to her. She gently pulled, turning Rachel around so they were face to face, and the angry look in Rachel's eyes was actually kind of hot. "I know you're a strong, independent woman who can take care of herself. I just wanted to do something nice for you."

Rachel let out another little huff and broke eye contact for a few seconds. "Maybe if you wanted to do something nice for me you wouldn't be teasing me like that," she said and was softened a bit by the look in Quinn's eyes. Something was different about the blonde today, but she didn't want to say it out loud. She was afraid that if she voiced it, Quinn would retreat back into herself like she had been since her mother rejected her. She was glad that her Quinn was coming back, but that didn't mean she liked being teased.

"Come on, Rach, I was just joking around," she said, and let out a little sigh. She felt bad for taking it too far. She had gotten caught up in the moment, and she wanted to point out that it kind of wasn't her fault. Rachel's dad had such a big energy about him that it was easy to get caught up in it, and forget how her words could affect other people. "If it bothers you that much I won't call you Pumpkin ever again."

"You promise?" Rachel said, sounding a little skeptical. This could be just like the time Quinn promised not to play any more of those juvenile pranks on her, but she played them all the time anyway. But when Quinn was smiling at her with that amazing smile and looking so deeply into her eyes it felt like their souls were touching, it was so hard not to believe anything she had to say.

"Yes, sweetheart, I promise," she said and closed the distance between them. It was the first time in days the two had kissed, and for Quinn it felt like she was being brought back to life. For Rachel it felt like coming home in a way. The world just didn't make any sense when she couldn't kiss her girlfriend, and the last week she had felt lost and alone. They didn't seem to notice both of Rachel's parents watching them from the doorway – Leroy with a wistful smile on his face and Hiram sipping from his mug of coffee to hide his frown.

"It looks like they're really in love," Hiram said, and took another small sip of coffee. His mood was lightened temporarily when his husband wrapped his arm around him, and gently rubbed his back. It was something that always helped calm him down, and it wasn't so surprising to either of them that the same trait was passed on to their daughter. "They argue just like we do."

Leroy couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Yeah, they do," he said, and they both watched as Quinn took Rachel's backpack, and walked her the rest of the way to the car. She even went so far as opening the door for her before putting their bags in the backseat. "But they're so happy it almost hurts to watch."

Hiram shook his head a little, and looked up at his husband completely bewildered. "You obviously didn't hear me, Lee: they're in love," he said, and watched as his daughter drove away with her girlfriend. It was something he still wasn't used to at all. Rachel was destined for greatness, for Broadway, and this girl was threatening that dream. "That's a problem." Leroy shook his head and leaned against the doorframe. He gave his husband a disapproving look, but the shorter man wasn't backing down.

"Maybe for you it's a problem," he said, his tone full of bite. He thought back on the few relationships their daughter had had in her short life, and he felt sad at the boys she had been interested in. He always wished she'd had better taste, and apparently she did, only with a different gender. "I'm just glad our child found someone who isn't just using her for her body or isn't as dumb as a bag of rocks." He never liked Noah or Finn, and he was never shy about letting it show whenever she had brought them over to the house.

"That girl is going to break our baby's heart," Hiram argued, his voice full of agitation. Rachel wasn't meant to stay in this town. She was meant to move on and achieve greatness. If she were dating a boy who didn't really matter then it would be easier for her to choose Broadway over him. If she were still with Finn Hudson she would have no reason to stay in Lima, Ohio. Quinn was no Finn Hudson. Quinn was the kind of person you held back your career for because they were one in a million.

"How could you possibly know that?" Leroy asked, scrunching up his eyebrows the way he did whenever his husband said something outlandish – which happened usually once, sometimes three times, a week. He knew where his husband was coming from. Both of them encouraged Rachel to be involved in the arts, but Hiram had always taken it more seriously. He was just glad Hiram was able to hold back his passion instead of turning into one of those cruel stage parents. "We don't even know Quinn."

"Call it a gut feeling," Hiram said, and took a big swig of his coffee.

Leroy rolled his eyes, and took the mug away from him. He gave him a small glare before taking a drink from the cup, and tried really hard not to gag on the amount of sugar that had been put in the coffee. "That's it, I'm blocking NCIS from the TiVo," he said, and he was rewarded with the desired effect those words were meant to have. Hiram looked slightly panicked, and a little agitated, but he tried to remain calm.

"Don't you dare. That's my program," he said, and Leroy handed him back his coffee before walking into the house. He was going to be late for work, there was no doubt about that. Looking back at the pictures on his camera, he decided it was worth it.

"Then be nice to our daughter's girlfriend," he said and grabbed his keys out of the key bowl on the end table. He leaned down and gave his husband a quick kiss on the lips before heading towards the door. "Or you'll have to find another poorly written show to become obsessed with."


	2. Chapter 2

By the end of the day, Rachel was a bundle of nerves for a couple of different reasons. First was the fact that she still hadn't asked Quinn out, and the longer she put it off the more nervous she became about it. Would Quinn say no because she didn't think her mother would approve? The blonde had been pulling away from her ever since she came out to Judy, and they spent way less time together after school, so it was a possibility. Or would Quinn say no because she wanted to be the one to ask Rachel out?

So far the blonde had been the more dominant one in the relationship, but that didn't mean Rachel couldn't take charge also. As she walked out of her history class and spotted Quinn walking down the hall towards the choir room, all of those fears melted away. Of course Quinn would say yes. Why was she being so melodramatic about it? Right, because her name started with Rachel and ended with Berry.

"Quinn!" she yelled out louder than she intended as she made her way towards the blonde girl. The former cheerleader stopped after hearing her name being called out and turned around. Her face lit up with a bright smile when she saw her girlfriend rushing towards her. She'd been thinking about Rachel all day, and even though they had math and glee club together, she couldn't help but miss the other girl. It was kind of scary how co-dependent she was becoming.

"Hey Rach," she said when the brunette finally caught up to her. She gave the smiling girl a little kiss on the cheek. Despite the fact that the bullying hadn't become worse after they were outed, Rachel was still nervous when it came to public displays of affection. Quinn understood where the other girl was coming from, but at the same time she was a little frustrated with the situation. Instead of bringing it up and potentially causing a fight, she picked a neutral subject to talk about. "How was History?"

"Boring and predictable," the little diva said, and the two walked down the hall towards the choir room. "It's such a shame that history classes in high school have been so watered down. That's one of the great things about college. The professors don't have to worry about covering up the truth in case some parents get offended." Quinn couldn't help but smile at the tone of Rachel's voice. No matter what she was talking about she always sounded so passionate.

"And here I was thinking the best part about college was the parties and sororities," the blonde said with the sarcastic tone she always used when teasing the brunette. "Leave it up to you to make it about education."

Rachel rolled her eyes, and stopped right outside of the choir room. Quinn stopped too, and gave her a confused look. Did she say the wrong thing and make the diva mad? After the upset this morning she was really looking forward to a relaxed day, and she had a feeling she just screwed that up for herself.

"Please, you're in all honors classes just like me. You're just as concerned about gaining a great education," she said, and she suddenly became very nervous. She needed to ask Quinn before she chickened out. She wasn't used to doing this kind of thing. Finn had always been the one to plan their dates, always the one to bring up the subject, and Rachel felt completely out of her depth. She looked down at her shoes for a few seconds hoping to find some courage.

"Rach, is everything ok?" Quinn asked, and she sounded just as confused and concerned as she looked. She couldn't think of any good reason as to why Rachel would go from normal to shy and nervous. Did the diva want to break up with her? Had she been distant and moody for too long, and now Rachel didn't think they were going to work out? She had come out to her mom and was shot down. Surely Rachel of all people would understand what it's like to feel rejected. Right?

"Yes, Quinn, everything's great," she said, but she didn't sound very convincing. Quinn tried to stay calm as she waited patiently for Rachel to continue. She wasn't going to jump to conclusions and get upset. That would be juvenile and uncalled for. She just needed to hear the diva out, and then react. "There's just something that I wanted to talk to you about." That didn't sound good. "We've been dating for a few weeks now, officially anyway, and I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me this Saturday."

"You're asking me out?" Quinn said, and relief washed through her whole body. Her knees actually felt a little weak, she was so overwhelmed with joy. Of course Rachel wasn't going to dump her, and if she ever did, it wouldn't be in the middle of the hallway at school. She was sure the brunette had more respect for her than that. "Is that why you're acting so nervous?" She had that smirk on her face again, and Rachel let out an annoyed sigh.

"Is there nothing you won't tease me about?" she said, and she sounded a little agitated. She knew that Quinn liked being playful. She said it had to do with the fact that her childhood was so repressed, and she felt like she was making up for lost time. Rachel felt special that Quinn was comfortable enough around her to act like that, but sometimes she wished she would take things a little more seriously.

"I'm not teasing you," she said, and when Rachel looked into those deep green eyes, she knew she was telling the truth. "I think it's adorable. And yes, Rachel, I'll go out with you." Her mood changed right then, and Rachel could just tell that Quinn was going to start teasing her now. She always had to tease; she couldn't just have a normal conversation. "I am your girlfriend after all, going on dates is customary for people who are dating."

Rachel let out a little sigh and shook her head, which made Quinn giggle. "Will you just say yes and not ruin my moment with your sarcasm?" she asked with a little smile on her face. She didn't really care that Quinn was being sarcastic. She didn't care that the girl was kind of teasing her for wanting to take things so seriously. She had just asked Quinn out for their first date, and she said yes. That's all that Rachel cared about. In truth, she just wanted to hear the words again because a small part of her just couldn't believe that Quinn Fabray had actually said yes to going on a date with her.

"Fine," Quinn said with a small eye roll. "Yes, Rachel, I will go on a date with you this Saturday."

As soon as those words were out of her mouth, the little diva took her by surprise. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the blonde for all she was worth. It took a few seconds for Quinn to snap out of her shock and kiss the other girl back. This was the thing she had been craving the most, for Rachel to not care what other people think and just be with her. Now that she was given this opportunity, she wasn't about to turn it down.

"I'm so glad you said yes," the little diva said after the kiss ended. She stayed close to Quinn and took the slightly taller girl by the hand. She needed this contact after the last couple of weeks of distance. She didn't care that they were in a hallway full of people. Being close to Quinn was worth the potential ridicule. "I'll pick you up at six, ok?"

All Quinn could do was nod. She was literally rendered speechless from the kiss, and she was a little embarrassed about it. "We should probably get in there before we're late."

"Hello, ladies," Mr. Schuster said as they walked into the choir room still hand-in-hand. It didn't matter that he was giving them an irritated look for showing up one minute before the meeting was supposed to start; they were happy, and they didn't care who knew. "Cutting it pretty close today." They sat down in the front row. Two seats had been saved for them by Brittany who had a big smile on her face at the sight of them holding hands.

"We're sorry, Mr. Schue," Rachel said, but she didn't sound sorry at all. The big happy smile on her face also gave away that she wasn't very sorry. "We had something important we needed to discuss, and it couldn't wait. We won't let it happen again." She looked over at Quinn, and the blonde looked just as happy. They were going on a date this weekend, if Rachel could convince her dad to let her use the car. But that didn't matter now. What mattered was she asked Quinn on a date and the blonde said yes.

"You guys have only been dating for, like, two seconds," Finn said, and he sounded a little annoyed. Everyone in the room rolled their eyes, and the two had to fight to hold onto their happy feelings. Although Finn wasn't trying to win Rachel back, or go out of his way to give them a bad time, he still spoke up every once in a while about his unhappiness. "Don't you think it's a little soon to be talking like you're one person?"

"Oh Finn, shut up," Santana spat out before either Quinn or Rachel could react. Rachel looked a little surprised that the Latina was saying anything at all. "You're just jealous because Quinn gets Rachel's berries all to herself now."

The former cheerleader blushed about three different shades of red, and the diva rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder how long Santana had been waiting to say that pun.

"Ok guys, that's enough," Mr. Schue said, and he sounded agitated. He had been trying without success to get this show choir to act more like a family for the last year and a half, and he was starting to become frustrated at all the personal drama. "We need to focus. Nationals is going to be here sooner than you realize, and our set list is still pretty sloppy. We still need to come up with a group number that showcases all of your amazing talent." Before he could go on, a small hand shot up in the air. "Yes, Rachel."

"Mr. Schue, if I may," she said, and he nodded his head and took a step back. She stood up in front of the group, and looked at all of the faces staring back at her. Most of them looked bored, which made her a little sad, but when she settled on a pair of green eyes that looked curious and amused, her smile brightened just a little bit brighter. "As you all know, Quinn and I are in a relationship now, and lately things haven't been easy for her. So, with Noah's help, I wanted to sing something to you to hopefully cheer you up. I really mean, every word, Quinn."

The blonde was speechless for a second time that day as she watched Puck get out of his seat and pick up the guitar off the stand. She locked eyes with Rachel, and they exchanged small smiles as the music starts to play. Quinn didn't recognize the song, so she had no idea what was coming. It didn't sound familiar, and she felt dumb for not knowing it. She really needed to take more of an interest in Rachel's music since it clearly went beyond show tunes.

"I text a postcard sent to you. Did it go through? Sending all my love to you," she sang, her voice soft, and fitting perfect with the instrumental. Quinn couldn't help but tear up a little bit, and she felt really embarrassed that she was getting so emotional so quickly. If anyone said anything she would simply play the menstrual card. That always got people to shut up. "You are the moonlight of my life every night." Rachel got a little smile on her face and winked after that line, and Quinn couldn't help but laugh. That was no doubt a homage to the song Quinn had serenaded Rachel with the night of the party.

"My beating heart belongs to you." It was obvious that Rachel was starting to get a little choked up as well. To everyone else this was nothing new. She was trained in the dramatic arts, she could cry at the drop of a hat, but Quinn knew those tears were real. "I walked for miles 'til I found you. I'm here to honor you. If I lose everything in the fire, did I ever make it through?" As soon as the song was over, Quinn was out of her chair, and she wrapped Rachel in a tight hug. She wanted to kiss the other girl so bad, but she wasn't sure if the diva would be comfortable with that or not.

"I love you too, Rachel," she whispered in the other girl's ear. Rachel held on just as tight, and nuzzled Quinn's delicate neck. She had an obsession with Quinn's neck, and even here in public she couldn't hide that. As they stood there in front of everyone, the glee kids still clapping at Rachel and Puck's performance, Quinn and Rachel finally felt at peace.


	3. Chapter 3

Quinn sat at the vanity in her bedroom, applying the final touches on her makeup. Everything else was already in place. Her hair was pulled back, with a few strands framing her face. She had spent two hours picking out the perfect outfit, and then proceeded to change her mind at the last minute. Instead of wearing the outfit still laid out on her bed she was wearing a light green keyhole halter dress. She had worn it a few weeks ago, and Rachel had complimented her on it a couple times throughout the day.

She felt a little anxious as she waited for six o'clock to roll around. She wasn't nervous about the date. She trusted Rachel completely on that. No, she was nervous because for the last ten minutes or so, her mother had been standing in her bedroom doorway watching her applying her makeup. Neither one of them had said a word or even acknowledged what they were doing. Quinn felt like if someone didn't end this game of chicken and say something, she was going to explode.

They both remained silent, however. Even as Judy walked into the room and stood behind Quinn so she could see her reflection, they didn't say anything. There were so many things Quinn wanted to say. She wanted to tell her that she was being stupid. She wanted to tell her that Rachel wasn't perfect, but she was better than anyone she'd ever dated. She wanted to cry and beg for her mom to hold her and promise everything was going to be ok. She wanted to apologize for freezing her out the last couple of weeks, and she wanted to tell her if she couldn't accept her, then she would leave after graduation and never come back.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," Judy said with a soft smile on her face. Quinn didn't say anything in return. Instead she picked up a tube of lipstick and carefully applied it. She needed to look perfect. This was their first date, and she wanted to be perfect. "Are you, Santana, and Brittany going out tonight?"

Quinn had to work really hard to keep her anger in check. The truth was the three hadn't been out together in a long time. Quinn stopped going out when she got pregnant, and since then, they had just drifted apart.

"No, we're not," she said and put the cap back on the lipstick. Her eye shadow was already in place; all she needed now was the mascara. She thought about lying to her mother. Maybe if she knew she was going out with the diva, then she would forbid her from leaving the house. It wasn't fair, it was completely irrational, but Quinn was still seventeen, and there was nothing she could do if her mom didn't want her to leave. No, she couldn't do that. She wasn't about to start lying about their relationship now. "Rachel's taking me out tonight. It's our first date, actually."

"Oh," Judy said, and she sounded surprised. Quinn glanced up at her reflection in the mirror, and she could tell her mom didn't know what to say. She always got the same look on her face when she was struggling for words. She had done so the night her father kicked her out of the house. The former cheerleader just hoped, for everyone's sake, this night would end better than that. "Well, isn't that nice."

"Yes, it is," she responded, and she tried as hard as she could to sound pleasant and not sarcastic. She knew her mom was struggling with this, and she didn't want to make it any harder. But her feelings were still hurt, and not acting out was becoming difficult. "She'll be here at six, and she's never late. It can be kind of annoying sometimes." She smiled a little, letting her mom know she was only joking.

Judy smiled back but Quinn could tell it was forced. "I can imagine," she said, and the two went quiet again while Quinn applied the mascara.

A thick tension settled, and Quinn felt like at any moment she was going to choke on it. Why did everything have to be so hard? Why couldn't she just talk to her mom like a normal person? When she finished with her mascara, she took a good look at herself in the mirror. She looked perfect; Rachel would tell her that later on tonight she was sure, but mostly she was fed up. And the resolve in her eyes was something she was glad to see.

"Mom, why do you hate me now?" she asked, and she could see Judy physically tense at her words. "You say you don't, but you had our pastor come to the house and tell me if I don't break up with Rachel and start dating boys again, I'm going to hell." Her tone became a little harsh as she remembered sitting down at the table in the dining room and being completely blindsided by that conversation. "And none of that is true. I'm still a good person. So why are you treating me like a diseased freak?"

"I don't hate you, Quinn," she said, and Quinn glared at her through her reflection in the mirror. Judy got a stern look on her face, but the younger blonde didn't back down. "Don't give me that look." After a few seconds, both of them calmed down again. Judy thought about what she should say. How could she possibly explain what she was feeling to a child? But if Quinn was being honest with her, the least she could do was try. "I don't hate you. I'm scared, sweetheart."

"What are you so afraid of?" Quinn asked, sounding confused and a little aggravated. She was expecting anger, and religious judgment, but fear? Fear was something she never even considered. Why was her mom so afraid? Was she afraid for her soul because of all the hatred they had been taught over the years from their church? Was she afraid Rachel was going to break her heart? Her mom didn't even know Rachel so that was a stupid thing to even think.

"Quinn, I'm afraid one day, if you decide to stay on this path, you're going to wake up and think about all of the things you missed out on, and you're going to be full of regret," she said, and Quinn's eyebrows furrowed. She had no idea what her mom was talking about. A small part of her wasn't even sure if she wanted to know what her mom was talking about. There was no way any of this was rational, but then again there's nothing rational about fear.

"What am I going to miss out on, Mom?" she asked, sounding just as angry as she looked. Rachel had already given her so much. Not only did she help her work through her confusion, but she had given her something she didn't even know she was missing – hope for the future. The little diva made her feel like she was destined for more than this town, and the idea of that being wrong made her sick. "Am I going to miss out on being cheated on by a man who treats me like I'm inferior because I'm a woman?" It was a low blow, but that was a Fabray special.

"Watch your tone," her mother said, her voice full of bite and her eyes welling with tears. Quinn instantly felt guilty, the way all children do when they see their mother cry. "I'm talking about you missing out on having a normal life. If you stay with Rachel, you'll miss your prom. You'll miss meeting your Prince Charming who will sweep you off your feet. You'll miss out on having a wedding and spending your life with someone who can love you right. You'll miss out on having children, Quinn, and being a mother is an indescribable experience. And the thought of you missing all of these things, and me not getting to support you during all of these experiences, it makes me so sad."

They locked eyes through their reflections, and Quinn could see everything in her mother's teary blue eyes. She could see the fear, she could see the hope, and she could see all of the sadness. And all of those things made her really angry, but she took a breath and pushed it down.

"Do you want to know what I see when I think about the future?" Quinn asked, and she sounded calm and quiet. Her mother nodded her head, and Quinn let out a little breath, trying as hard as she could to control the feelings raging inside of her. "I see Rachel and I together, laughing and having fun with our friends, and dancing at our prom. I see us posing for our prom picture, and putting it in a frame on my dresser. I see us tilting our heads a little awkwardly so we can kiss at our graduation without knocking those stupid hats off our heads." She couldn't help but smile a little at that image.

"I see us finding a way to manage our studies and our relationship while we work really hard to graduate at the top of our classes at college. I see myself sitting front and center at her Broadway debut, and her supporting me while I struggle to make it in advertising or accounting or something else simple to pay the bills," she said, and she looked into her mother's eyes through the reflection in the mirror. She took in another breath and tried as hard as she could not to tear up. She didn't want all that time spent on her makeup to be for not.

"And I see you," she said, and her mother's eyes filled with more tears, and her bottom lip started to quiver. "I see you on my wedding day helping me with my veil, and trying to help me stay calm, and telling me that there's no reason to be nervous because Rachel and I love each other. And when it's time for me to walk down that aisle, I see you sitting in the front row trying not to cry as Rachel and I promise to be together forever." Tears started slowly falling down Judy's face, and she quickly wiped them away.

"I can see you sitting in a rocking chair, holding me and Rachel's newborn, and taking care of him or her so we can get just a couple hours of sleep," she said, and that made both of them smile. But Quinn's smile quickly faded, and as soon as it did, tears welled up in her bright green eyes, and a look of desperation came over her face. "Mom, I love Rachel, and I'll do anything to be with her. But I'm begging you, please, please don't make me choose."

Tension fell over the room again as they stared at each other through the mirror. But before either of them could speak, the doorbell rang, bringing them back to reality.

"That must be her," Judy said and backed up to give Quinn enough space to push the chair back and stand up. Quinn heard her mother let out a sigh, and she wasn't sure what to make of everything that just happened. Her mom wasn't saying anything about Rachel being at their house. She didn't seem angry that Quinn had gone against her request to keep Rachel away from their home, and Quinn had no idea how to take that. "Here, sweetie, let me get the zipper." She stood still as her mom zipped up her dress.

"Thanks," Quinn said and turned around to face her mom. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she didn't want to keep Rachel waiting. She knew the little diva would throw a temper tantrum if she was held up for too long. "I'll be back at curfew, I promise."

Judy couldn't help but smile a little at that. Her Quinnie was always such a good girl, and she still believed that. She also had believed that she was just a little lost, but now she wasn't so sure if that was accurate anymore.

"You better be," she said, and wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes. Quinn left the room without another word, and to her surprise, her mother followed her. Her mom had been very clear that she didn't want to meet Rachel, so why was she going downstairs with her? Was she going to the kitchen to make herself a drink to drown the sadness she felt because she wasn't going to leave the diva? She became even more confused when her mom stood in the foyer and didn't leave as she opened the door. But she forgot all about her confusion as soon as she saw Rachel, and her breath caught in her throat.

"Rach, you look amazing," she whispered just loud enough for the diva to hear.

Rachel's cheeks turned a bright pink hue as she blushed at the compliment. She wasn't used to people calling her amazing, or anything positive, for that matter. She had spent three hours picking out the perfect outfit: a crimson top with a black skirt, fashion advice she had taken from Santana, and her hair was down, but slightly curled. Again, more advice taken from the Latina.

"Thank you, Quinn," she said, and let her eyes roam over her girlfriend's body. "You look simply radiant, like a fairy tale princess." Quinn wanted so badly at that moment to lean forward and kiss her girlfriend. Holding back on that instinct felt strange, and uncomfortable, but with her mother still standing there she really didn't want to do anything to cause a scene. Especially when she didn't have any idea why her mother was standing in the foyer instead of being somewhere in the house praying for her soul.

"Quinnie," her mother said, and as soon as she did Quinn blushed crimson. Rachel was going to have a field day with that, payback for all of the Pumpkin remarks the blonde had made that week. "You forgot to grab a jacket. It's supposed to be chilly tonight." Judy locked eyes with the brunette after she said that, and Rachel's whole body tensed. Quinn's eyes went wide with panic. Leaving to get a jacket would mean leaving her mother alone with the diva, and that did not sound like a good idea.

"I'll be fine, Mom," she said, and tried to step forward, but Rachel remained in her way. She gave her girlfriend a surprised look, but the diva didn't back down. There was just something about the way Judy was looking at her that made Rachel need to talk to her. And it was clear that Judy wanted Quinn out of the way so they could, hopefully, do just that.

"Quinn, your mother's right," she said, and the expression on Quinn's face was one of shock, and Rachel almost lost her composure. "It's supposed to be very cold tonight, and although we'll be indoors for most of the evening, the walk to and from the car will be very uncomfortable if you're only wearing that beautiful dress." Quinn's jaw actually dropped a little, and she shook her head. This had to be punishment for something, she just knew it was.

"I honestly can't believe this is happening," she said, and turned around with a little huff. Rachel had to hold back the giggles that threatened to burst out. "I'll be right back," she said and gave her mother a poignant look as she passed her and went up the stairs.

There was a moment of tense silence as Rachel stood on the front porch and Judy stood in the foyer. She had wanted time to talk to the brunette, but now that they were alone, she had no idea what to say. It was Rachel who broke the tension by stepping forward into the house, and held out her hand.

"Hello Mrs. Fabray, I'm Rachel Berry," she said, and the older woman hesitated for only a moment before gently grasping her hand, and gently shaking it. "It's very nice to finally meet you." There were so many things Rachel wanted to say in that moment to the woman standing in front of her. She wanted to tell her that Quinn didn't deserve the way she was being treated. She wanted to go on and on about how love is never wrong as long as it's completely consensual, and everyone involved is happy. But she stayed quiet, and waited for the other woman to respond.

"Hello, Rachel," she said, and let go of her tiny hand. "You'll have to forgive me for being so blunt. I don't know what Quinn has told you about the situation between her and I, but I want to make one thing very clear." Rachel tried to remain calm even though her heart was out of control. "If you break my baby's heart there will be hell to pay. Do you understand?"

Relief washed over Rachel's body, and she quickly nodded her head. "Yes, Mrs. Fabray," she said with a small smile on her face. Yes, Quinn's mom had just threatened her, but it was the good kind of threat. It was the kind of threat she had been hoping to hear out of the other woman. She wasn't sure where Judy stood on their relationship, and she was too afraid to ask, but it was clear the woman was willing to try. That she was willing to accept that this was a relationship, and strong emotions were involved spoke volumes. At least, that's what Rachel hoped. "I understand perfectly."

"Good," she said, and they both looked towards the stairs when they hear Quinn rushing down as carefully as she could. She was doing her best to hurry without tripping in her heels, and it was more difficult heading down than it was going up. But horrible images of what her mother could have been saying to Rachel filled her head, and she didn't want to leave them alone for too long. But when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw Rachel smiling and her mother only looked a little uncomfortable.

"Have fun tonight, girls," her mother said, and Quinn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her mother had never said anything like that before, not even when she was dating a boy. It was always a veiled threat of what would happen if she wasn't home before curfew. But she had never been told to have fun. "And Rachel, curfew's at midnight."

The little diva smiled a little brighter, and took Quinn by the hand. "Don't worry, Mrs. Fabray, I'll have her home on time, safe and sound," she said, and Quinn wanted to become a little angry at the fact that they were talking about her as if she weren't in the room. However, she was still too shocked to feel anything else. Then her mother gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left the room without saying another word. She blinked a couple of times and looked over at the smiling diva.

"What the hell was that all about?" she asked, and she sounded just as confused as she looked. Rachel couldn't help but giggle a little bit, and Quinn wanted to find it cute, but in her confused state, it was just irritating. They walked out of the house and shut the door behind them when Rachel finally spoke.

"Nothing," she said, and they walked down the path towards the driveway. She thought about torturing the blonde, maybe using the nickname she had heard Judy say, but she thought better of it. With the way Quinn was acting it was highly likely she would do something they would both regret, and Rachel wanted this night to be perfect. "Your mom and I just have an understanding, that's all."

"Oh, that's all?" Quinn said, and she sounded nothing but sarcastic. Rachel rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her face. "Rach, this is a huge deal. What did she say after I left?" Quinn simply couldn't wrap her mind around any of this. Too much had happened in a short amount of time, and her brain simply couldn't process it. She wished she could just forget it and focus on the fact that this was a date, but she couldn't do that and not go crazy.

"Quinn, your mother was just doing what all good parents do," she said and her smile got a little bigger. She walked with Quinn to the passenger side of her dad's car and opened the door for the blonde. "She was simply trying to protect her child." Quinn gave her a look that told Rachel that she wasn't amused at all by that vague response. "Fine. She told me if I broke your heart, there would be hell to pay. Now, please, get in the car. We have to hurry or we're going to be late."


	4. Chapter 4

Quinn stood at Rachel's front door feeling so nervous, her hands were beginning to shake. She honestly had no idea how seven days before, around the same time, Rachel had been able to muster up the courage to ring the doorbell. And Quinn already had a rapport with the diva's dads. Rachel had never even met her mother. All she knew about Judy Fabray before she rang that doorbell and waited to take Quinn out on a date was that the older woman was struggling and didn't want Rachel around at all.

When she thought about it, though, she only had a rapport with Leroy. Hiram was a little more distant with her. In the last week she had picked Rachel up from school four times, and every morning Leroy was always warm and very inviting. He was playful, and they had a nice banter going on. Hiram, on the other hand, was only civil, and it made Quinn feel very uncomfortable. And the way he looked at her sometimes made her skin crawl.

She took a deep breath, rolled her shoulders, trying her best to appear calm and collected. The last thing she needed was her body language betraying her. When she felt a little better, she reached out and rang the doorbell. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth when she heard the diva yell, and then she could vaguely make out the sounds of little Rachel-feet running towards the door. Her girlfriend was excited, and it put her mind at ease – at least enough to temporarily calm her shaking hands.

"Quinn, you're here!" Rachel said when she practically threw the door open. She had a huge smile on her lips, and Quinn had no idea how smiling like that didn't hurt the diva's face. She was wearing a pink and grey argyle sweater with a simple grey skirt to match, but she was also wearing an apron that had little stains of tomato sauce, and her hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She looked so adorable Quinn couldn't but giggle, and her smile turned a little brighter.

"Hello to you too, Rach," she said sounding a little sarcastic, and Rachel rolled her eyes. It was a game at this point to see how many times a week she could get the diva to do that, and it was one Rachel was not so happy with. Instead of reprimanding Quinn, however, she straightened her shoulders, took a step back, and got a very serious look on her face. Quinn couldn't help but smirk at the diva's actions.

"Right, sorry, how rude of me," Rachel said, and opened the door a little wider. The blonde had to bite the insides of her cheeks in order to keep her composure. She really didn't want to die in a fit of giggles on the Berry's front porch. But it wasn't her fault that Rachel was too cute for her own good. "Hello, Quinn, it's lovely to see you. Please come in, and let me take your coat." The blonde shook her head as she stepped inside, and Rachel very carefully helped the former cheerleader out of her jacket.

"Now who's being sarcastic?" she asked and watched as Rachel rolled her eyes again, and turned to hang the coat up on a hook on the foyer wall. Quinn took that time to really appreciate how short her girlfriend's skirt was. She knew they couldn't be seen from this spot, so she didn't have to worry about being caught perving on Rachel by the diva's parents. That would be really embarrassing.

"I was never this sarcastic until I started dating you," she said matter-of-factly, and it was Quinn's turn to roll her eyes. Maybe Rachel had never noticed how sarcastic she was, but the little diva had a pretty sharp tongue that she wasn't shy about using. Quinn let out a little frustrated sigh. Now all she could think about was Rachel's tongue, and that was not helping her achieve calmness. "You're a bad influence, who would have thought?"

"I guess that depends on who you ask," the blonde said, thinking about Finn and Hiram. Neither one of them seemed to be her biggest fan, and while she only worried about Hiram's opinion of her, Finn's comments about she and Rachel's relationship were starting to get annoying. As soon as Rachel turned around, though, all of those thoughts vanished from her mind when the little diva wrapped her arms around Quinn's waist, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Quinn reveled in it, and returned the gentle embrace by wrapping her arms around the brunette's back.

"I missed you today," the blonde said, and rested her forehead against the slightly shorter girl's. Rachel closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath, pulling in the comforting smell of her girlfriend. There was Quinn's perfume and the smell of her shampoo, but underneath all that was this unique, slightly sweet smelling scent that drove her crazy, but calmed her down all at once. Quinn also took in a comforting breath. This contact is just what she needed to calm her frenzied nerves.

"I missed you, too," the diva whispered, quickly getting lost in the feeling like they were the only ones in the house, in the town, on the planet. "This is the first time I've ever experienced something like this." She softly kissed Quinn again and played with baby fine hairs at the nape of her neck. It sent a shiver down the blonde's spine that did not go unnoticed by the little diva.

"Experienced what, sweetheart?" she asked and leaned down just a little. She started peppering feather light kisses over the little sweet spot right behind Rachel's ear. The brunette's back arched, and her toes curled at the feeling that exploded throughout her whole body. She never knew such a simple touch could have such a profound effect on her body, and she hoped to God Quinn never figured out exactly how it made her feel.

"This is the first time I've gone a whole day without seeing someone and felt incredibly sad about it," she said, and her grip on the blonde tightened as Quinn continued her rain of kisses. "I missed you too much. I'm not trying to ruin the mood, but it's a little scary." Quinn pulled back at that and looked deeply into those chocolate brown eyes she loved so much. "Like, my entire happiness is completely dependent on you." The blonde couldn't stop the little smirk from forming on her face.

"But no pressure, right?" she asked, sounding sincere, but Rachel knew she was only joking. Ok, so maybe she was half joking. She didn't want Quinn to feel pressured or scared by this relationship, but the feelings Rachel had for her were big, and she hoped Quinn was the person who could handle them. She had a strong feeling she wouldn't be let down.

"No, baby, there's no pressure," Rachel said with an unexpected lightness to her voice, and it made Quinn smile at how adorable it sounded. "Because you being happy makes me happy, too. So see? It's a fair deal." The blonde furrowed her eyebrows ever so slightly as if she were really considering what the diva just said. Rachel rolled her eyes and marveled at the fact that Quinn didn't even have to say anything to be sarcastic.

"That does sound like a good deal," she said and gave the brunette another kiss. Rachel lightly scratched her blunt nails along the back of Quinn's neck, and with another strong shiver, goose bumps erupted all over her body. She couldn't believe Rachel could do these things to her without much effort. It was borderline illegal, and she loved every second of it.

"If you two are finished necking in the foyer, dinner is ready and waiting for you!" they heard Leroy yell out in his usual teasing tone of voice. Quinn blushed for getting so caught up in the moment. There was a small part of her that wanted to suggest they head upstairs and say a proper hello. It was the same part of her that wanted Rachel on her every moment of every day. But right now she had to ignore it.

"We're coming, Mr. Berry!" she responded and took a step back. She held onto Rachel's hand and took another look at her girlfriend. She couldn't get over how adorable she looked in the apron, with her hair pulled back and sloppy. It was probably her favorite Rachel Berry look yet.

"I don't need the details, Quinn, just get in here before it gets cold," he said and roared with laughter at his own joke. The blonde blushed so hard, the tips of her ears turned bright red. She looked at Rachel's face and the diva was just as embarrassed. The brunette shook her head a little. The problem with having a parent who fancied themselves a comedian was their need to say embarrassing and horrifying things.

"I don't like your dad sometimes," Quinn whispered, and Rachel squeezed her hand in sympathy. She knew her girlfriend didn't really mean it. She had only known the man for a week, but they were already getting along great. Rachel was glad that Quinn seemed to fit into her family, like a puzzle piece, but sometimes she found herself biting back jealousy. She blamed it on the fact that she was an only child and not used to sharing her daddy's attention with another girl.

"At least you get to leave later," she said with a little huff. Parents always said embarrassing things in front of other people in an attempt to torture their children, right? That was just normal behavior that Rachel needed to get used to. One of the benefits, she realized, of not having a social life was she was never embarrassed by her fathers.

"I really don't want to," Quinn said, pulling the brunette out of her thoughts. Rachel looked over at the former cheerleader with a small smile on her face, and she really wished she could take Quinn upstairs. She may not be ready to give herself to the other girl yet, but there were other things they could do. That little glimmer in Quinn's eyes was making Rachel really wish they were alone. "I'd rather be with you." Before Rachel could respond she was, rudely, interrupted.

"Girl, don't make me come in there and throw cold water on you!" Leroy yelled, and this time it wasn't followed by laughter. Rachel's eyes went wide as a memory flashed through her mind. It was embarrassing and she never wanted Quinn to find out, but she knew if they didn't get in the dining room soon, the blonde would be clued in.

"He's not joking," she said, a slight tremble to her voice. "He'll do it."

Quinn wanted to ask, she wanted to ask so bad, but the look on Rachel's face made her bite her tongue. There was a story behind this, an experience that Rachel was keeping secret, and even though the blonde was dying on the inside to know, she didn't want to upset her girl. "This outfit is dry-clean-only, so we should get in there," she said, avoiding the question on the tip of her tongue.

Rachel looked down at herself and a light blush colored her cheeks. It was as if she had forgotten what she was wearing, and that her hair was a mess. Quinn couldn't help but smirk, but it quickly turned into a dreamy smile. Was this what life with Rachel was going to be like if they moved in together after high school or college? Cooking meals with Rachel looking so adorable they probably wouldn't get around to cooking until after they had sex on the kitchen floor at least twice? God, she really hoped so.

"I need to clean up first, but I'll be down in a few minutes," the brunette said, sounding suddenly very shy, and Quinn wanted to squeeze the girl very tightly. Rachel was going kill her with cuteness if she wasn't careful. The diva gave the blonde a quick kiss on the cheek, and bounded up the stairs as quickly as she could. Quinn stood there for a moment, all alone and trying as hard as she could to work up the courage to walk into the dining area by herself. Then she took a deep breath, and made the plunge.

"Hello Mr. and Mr. Berry," she said, drawing their attention. The two men were already seated at the table, sipping from glasses of amber colored beer and catching each other up on their day. Leroy looked at Quinn with that warm smile that made her feel at ease, while Hiram's smile was forced, and it made her feel really uncomfortable. She didn't understand what she had done to offend him, but hopefully after tonight things would be different.

"Quinn, how nice of you to join us," Leroy said, sounding every bit as sarcastic as Quinn when she first arrived. "Did the star of the show need a moment to clean up?" Hiram scoffed a little, and gave his husband a small backhanded smack on the shoulder. Leroy just laughed and shrugged it off.

"Yes. She said she would be down in a minute," she said, and her eyebrows furrowed just a little when the two started making up their plates. Don't they have to wait for Rachel to come downstairs? Quinn had always been taught that dinner, or any meal for that matter, didn't start until everyone was at the table. She felt a little bit of anxiety crawl up her neck as her years of table manners tried to come to the surface.

"You might as well pull up a chair," Leroy said, sounding amused as she stood a few feet from the table looking a little lost. "One minute on Planet Rachel is about twenty minutes for the rest of us mere mortals."

The blonde internally groaned. Twenty minutes alone with her girlfriend's fathers did not sound like a good time in Quinn's book. But this is why she came over, right? To let them ask as many questions as they wanted, and to give her a chance to prove she's not a threat. That's what Mike Chang said the first dinner was all about.

"Everything looks and smells so great," she said, hoping to buy a little time. She really didn't feel comfortable making up a plate while Rachel was upstairs. She could hear her father's voice in the back of her mind telling her how rude it is to begin eating without saying grace, and you can't say grace until everyone is at the table. "I don't know where to start." It wasn't a lie. The amount of food on the table was a little mind boggling, and Quinn wondered how Rachel stayed so thin if this was a normal meal at the Berry house.

"That was all Rachel's doing," Hiram said with a little chuckle as he scooped up some of the potatoes. Quinn's stomach rumbled a little at the sight. "She wasn't sure what to fix, so she decided to make everything." All three shared a chuckle, and Quinn took a sip of her water. Why was Rachel taking so long upstairs? How hard was it to take off an apron and brush your hair?

"Sometimes her drive is a sickness and not a virtue," Leroy said, and the other two nodded their heads in agreement. "There's also three desserts cooling on the counter." Then the black man held up his hand and inspected a fading mark. "She even smacked me with a wooden spoon when I tried to taste one." Sometimes Quinn could not believe the things Rachel got away with.

"In all fairness, she did warn you," Hiram said, trying as hard as he could to hide a smirk. He failed horribly. Quinn couldn't help but smile as she watched the look of shock settle on Leroy's face. Watching Rachel's dad argue back and forth was a surprisingly comforting thing. It reminded her of her parents' marriage when she was a little kid and they were still in love.

"Take her side, why don't you," Leroy said, his voice so melodramatic Quinn was surprised the Tragedy and Comedy masks didn't appear on his face. He was a diva, and the blonde had a hard time controlling the giggles that wanted desperately to escape.

"I'm not taking her side. I'm just saying you shouldn't sound so surprised," Hiram said, and Leroy nodded, admitting defeat. There was a lull in conversation as they finished scooping large piles of food onto their plates. Quinn finally gave in. The smell of the food was too tempting, and she began picking out a little bit of everything, not wanting to offend the brunette when, or if, she came back downstairs. At this point Quinn was sure this dinner with her girlfriend was a conspiracy planned by all three to get her alone with the Mr. Berry's so they could ask her whatever questions they wanted without the diva interrupting.

"So Quinn," Hiram said around a small bite. Oh great, she though, here comes the interrogation. Mike had warned her about it, she had laughed about it, but she never really thought she would be on this side of it. "How are things going with your mom? Rachel said Judy was civil when she picked you up on your date last weekend."

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and she politely wiped her mouth off with her napkin before speaking. Leroy found the action very charming. "That's right, she was very civil. I was really surprised," she said, and the small smile vanished from her face. "She's still having a really hard time. It's safe to say she won't be attending any Pride Parades anytime soon, but there haven't been anymore surprise visits from our pastor trying to guilt me into being straight so that's progress." She chuckled a little, but she was the only one.

"Your pastor did what now?" Leroy asked, and one eyebrow rose high on his forehead. Quinn looked from one surprised face to the other, and she was a little confused. They had to know about what happened, right? If the past indicated anything it was that Rachel couldn't keep a secret to save her life. So why were they acting like they didn't know what she was talking about?

"Rachel didn't tell you about that?" she asked, and Leroy shook his head no. Hiram took a large swig from his glass, downing half of the contents in one go. From their brief conversation in the Berry's living room a few weeks before, Quinn had gotten the impression he was raised in a similar situation: religiously conservative parents who use their faith as a tool to guilt people into changing their behavior. She just hoped this conversation wasn't about to get really heavy and depressing.

"No," Leroy said, his tone laced with disbelief. "She's been annoyingly respectful of your privacy. All she'll say is that you and your mom are coping. She only told us Judy was civil because we threatened to call you and find out how it went."

Quinn chuckled, and took a little sip of water. She could just imagine the diva storming off in a huff after that conversation. She took a little breath, and hoped that she wouldn't become emotional retelling the events of that morning.

"The morning after I came out to my mom, I went downstairs to make some breakfast before school, and Pastor Martin was sitting at the breakfast bar having coffee with my mom. She had told him everything, and for the next two hours I was lectured on the bible. He told me that God thinks what I'm doing is unforgivable, and if I don't…oh, what did he say exactly?" She paused, and had to really think about what was said. It had made her so angry at the time, but since then she had pushed it out of her mind.

"Right, he said that if I don't leave the den of sin I strayed to and find a respectable Christian man to settle down with and marry, and live the life that God demands from all his children, then I would go to hell when I die," she said and let out a little sigh. She knew exactly what the pastor meant by "living the life God demands," and it made her sick. He meant being a housewife and a brood mare. "I tried to leave after he said that, but my mom said if I left I wasn't welcome back."

"Oh, my lord," Leroy said after a long pause. Quinn couldn't explain why, but she thought that reaction was amusing, and a small chuckle escaped her throat. The man reached over and placed one of his large hands over Quinn's. The move was unexpected, and her first reaction was to pull away, but she fought it. "Quinn, if you ever need a place to stay, you are more than welcome here. I'm not just saying that to be nice. Don't hesitate for a second if you ever need to call sanctuary."

"We'll make up a room for you in the basement," Hiram said with a small smirk on his face. Quinn laughed, and rolled her eyes at that. For a second she considered saying a joke about that being Hiram's attempt to save Rachel's "virtue", but decided against it. She was on thin ice with him enough as it was. "It gets a little cold in the winter, but it's nice. We use it as a home theater most of the time." She would have told him that she already knew this, but then that would lead to questions as to how she knew, and that would be bad.

"Thank you both so much. I can't even begin to explain how much I appreciate that," she said, and to her surprise she didn't begin to tear up, and she didn't feel uncomfortable by their offer. She had always been taught that accepting someone's help was a sign of weakness, but those beliefs were beginning to change. The room became quiet again as the three went back to their meal, and just as things were starting to get a little awkward and uncomfortable, Rachel bounded into the room.

"You didn't wait for me?" she asked, and she sounded upset. Quinn practically threw her back out trying to avoid eye contact with the diva. She didn't think it would be a big deal. Things in the Berry house were much more relaxed than at her own home. But she should have known that Rachel was going to be type a about this just like she is about everything else.

"Of course we didn't wait, Pumpkin," Leroy said, and Rachel rolled her eyes a little. She hadn't been talking to him, and he knew that, but he could never resist being sarcastic. It's one of the things she loved and didn't like about him. When his snarky attitude was aimed at someone else it was funny, but all too often she was the target. "You were taking too long."

"I knew you two weren't going to wait because you're impolite," she said, and crossed her arms over her chest, and aimed her angry glare at her girlfriend. Quinn squirmed a little under her stare, and Hiram repressed his smile by taking another drink of beer. "But Quinn, you were raised with manners. I thought you would at least wait until your girlfriend came back before you started in on the meal she slaved over for the better part of the day to prepare."

"I tried to wait," Quinn said, and pulled out her best weapon: the puppy dog eyes. Rachel wasn't the only person with big doe eyes who could manipulate people with just one look. Quinn needed more than just the eyes to pull it off, but they helped. "But the food was too tempting. Maybe if you weren't such a good cook I would have been able to resist, but everything is so delicious. I couldn't help myself."

Rachel's expression softened and the beginnings of a smile tugged at her lips as she sat down at the table. "I was gone for longer than intended," she said, and picked up the nearest dish. "I guess it would be unreasonable to expect you to hold out for that long with everything right in front of you." She put the casserole back down and started dishing more of the feast onto her plate.

Leroy looked over at Quinn with a look of awe on his face, but the smirk gave away that he was joking around. "How did you do that?" he asked, his voice melodramatic again as he sounded stunned beyond belief. Quinn couldn't help but giggle, as he put his hand to his chest. "I can never get her to quietly give up a temper tantrum."

Rachel glared at him, but he ignored it. Quinn allowed herself to smirk. She was going to get in trouble for this, she knew it. It seemed like whenever she joked around with Leroy, she fell into the diva's bad graces.

"Being raised by my father I learned very quickly how to play on his ego to get just about anything," she explained, and took a little bite of mushroom risotto. "Sometimes that seems to work with other people, too." She looked over at her girlfriend, and gave her a little wink. Rachel dropped her fork to her plate with a loud clatter. "I'm going to get something to drink. Does anyone else want anything?" she asked as she stood up from the table, and she did not sound happy. Hiram handed her his glass, but the other two declined her offer. "You know, if you guys think you're both just so funny maybe you should get married and live out your snarky lives together."

Leroy shook his head a little, and a small smile appeared on his face. "Pumpkin, don't be ridiculous," he said. "The age of consent in Ohio is eighteen. That would be gross."

Rachel's jaw actually dropped a little, and Quinn had to hold back the laughter that so desperately wanted to rip from her throat. "And we're both gay," Quinn added, and Rachel shot her a little glare. Oh, she was going to be in so much trouble by the end of the night. She could just feel it.

"Yeah, that too," Leroy said and took a bite of salad.

Rachel glared really hard at the two of them for a moment. She couldn't believe their behavior, and a small part of her really didn't want to know why Quinn acted like this whenever she was around her daddy. "You two are unbelievable," she said, and stormed out of the room. All three of them started laughing, but tried to keep it down so they wouldn't hurt her feelings as much. Quinn did feel a little bad. She knew that she always got in trouble whenever she joked around with Leroy because it was almost always at the little diva's expense. They could hear Rachel mumbling to herself, and Quinn went back to eating as a distraction. If she didn't then she would start laughing again, and she really didn't want to make the other girl anymore annoyed.

"Here you go, Dad," she said, and handed Hiram the glass and took her seat. She didn't make eye contact with Quinn or Leroy as she went back to her meal.

The blonde wanted to say something, but she knew anything she said now would be taken the wrong way. She would have to wait until the diva was calm, butter up to her with kisses, and then apologize. It worked every time.

"Thanks, Rae," Hiram said and took a little sip before setting the glass down. There was a tense silence as they continued eating. Quinn's guilt started to grow as Rachel continued to sulk. This was supposed to be a nice dinner with her girlfriend's family, and now she felt like she had ruined that. "So, Rae, how are your grades doing? There aren't going to be any surprises on the progress report next week, are there?"

Rachel finished her bite, and trained one of her blinding smiles on her dad. "No, Dad. My grades are perfect, just like always. You'll be happy to see that I'm still getting straight A's," she said, and Quinn got a little smirk on her face. When the diva gave her a confused look she mouthed the words "suck up." Rachel rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue like a bratty child. Quinn had to bite her cheeks to stop herself from laughing, especially when Rachel gave her a very adorable smile afterwards.

"That's great, Rae," he said, and gave Quinn a very disapproving look at the interaction. She tried not to visibly sink in her chair when he did that. What was it about this man that made her feel so small? Her father was way more intimidating, yet Hiram made her want to crawl away and hide when he gave her that look. "What about you, Quinn? How are you doing in school?"

And here's interrogation part two, she thought and quickly finished the asparagus in her mouth. "I'm doing just fine, sir," she said, as she wiped her mouth off with the napkin. Her palms felt a little sweaty, and there was a strange tingly sensation on the back of her neck. She couldn't help but feel like this was her karmic payback for making fun of Rachel. "I've never been a perfect student, per se, but I'm getting all A's too." He nodded his head, and took another bite of his food. She looked over at her girlfriend for moral support, and received a warm, encouraging smile.

"Quinn's taking all A.P. classes like me, though we only have one class together besides Glee Club after school," Rachel said, and Quinn smiled but hid it by taking another bite of food. The way Rachel sounded amazed the blonde and made her so happy. Rachel sounded proud of her, like she was proud to bring this girl to her home and show her off to her fathers. In that moment, with those simple words and that tone of voice, Rachel made her feel like more than just a pretty face, and she fell in love with her all over again for it.

"All advanced placement classes, and getting all A's, that's impressive," the be-speckled man said. Quinn wanted to say thank you, it was only polite after all to thank someone after receiving a compliment. However, before she could finish the bite in her mouth he kept going. "So since you're taking all A.P. classes, I take it you already have a few colleges in mind."

Oh crap, she thought, he just had to pick this topic. "I have a couple in mind, yeah," she lied, and she felt bad, but a little white lie seemed like so much better than the truth at the moment. She tried not to show her guilt, and the feeling of panic that was beginning to wash over her, especially when Hiram was giving her that look like he was inspecting her for flaws, and Rachel still aiming that proud smile her way, and Leroy looking amused by the interrogation.

In that moment she realized her mother had been right. She chose to stay with Rachel Berry, and now she was in hell.


	5. Author's note

For those of you who have only subscribed to the story alters, I just wanted to let you know that the sequel to this fic, Broken, has been published. So check it out, and leave a review if you are so inclined.


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